The present invention relates to aircraft landing gear. In particular, the invention relates to an improved method of deploying aircraft landing gear.
FIG. 1 shows a typical landing gear arrangement of the prior art. The nose landing gear 200 is stowed in a retracted position (shown in broken lines in FIG. 1) where the landing gear is held in position by a releasable catch of an uplock assembly 203. The releasable catch is attached to the aircraft fuselage structure. When the landing gear is to be deployed the releasable catch releases the landing gear so that it can be lowered into position. The weight of the landing gear supported by the catch is significant and the sudden release of this weight by the releasable catch causes shock loading and vibration through the aircraft fuselage structure. This can risk damage to any sensitive equipment situated nearby as the shock and vibration are dissipated throughout the fuselage structure. The shock loading also creates undesirable noise and vibrations for any passengers of the aircraft. Also, the shock loading and vibration may reduce the life of systems or structural components mounted on the landing gear itself, or its associated deployment mechanism.